tips for shooting traditional

[lostvaquero]

So I have been wanting to shoot traditional and traded into a Remington R1. 

 

Tried shooting one handed last match with regular Taurus 1911.  The results were well not up to snuff.

Think kept dipping the pistol wrist was weak.

 

Anyway, any tips what might help other than practice practice.

[Garrison Joe]

Following is what has worked well for me. 

 

I find a firm grip is REQUIRED for quickly shooting a 1911 one handed.  Grip it about like you would the neck of a rattlesnake that you don't like.  ;D

Not so hard your hand shakes, but close.  That keeps the recoil directed back into your arm and shoulder instead of flipping the wrist and bending the elbow, both of which take the sights off target.  Concentrate on keeping the gun level during recoil, even if it rises a little.  It's easier to drop the whole gun than to tip sights back down precisely.

 

Make sure your finger's first PAD is on the trigger, not the joint towards the end of your trigger finger.  The joint will push the muzzle to the left (right hander) as you break the trigger.

 

Shots very low and left fired by right handed shooter - are often a flinch indicator.  To conquer that, you will have to learn to NOT ANTICIPATE the gun going off.  A crisp and short trigger travel helps with this, even if you can't set the pull weight much lighter than about 3.5 pounds for safe operation.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Abilene]

And try to only let the trigger finger move forward enough for the trigger to reset for each shot.  That is important in any case but I'd think more so shooting one handed.

[Johnson County Mike]

Hi, "dipping" is a classic flinch, anticipating recoil. Try a lot of dry fire practice, regards, Mike

[C.N. Double]

These guys have you covered with flinching and dipping, but here are a few things that I've noticed about myself. I don't really know what's best, but maybe these observations will give you something to think about.

 

1. I still miss a lot, and my biggest problem is and always has been staring at the targets. My friend Capt Sam Evans pulled me aside at WR 2019 to give me a pep talk after a bad stage, and now, every time I'm at the loading table, I rehearse unholstering and staring at the front sight a few times to get my mind right. Front sight, front sight, front sight.

 

2. I have seen lots of shooters canting the pistol unintentionally (me included). I don't really know what detrimental impact this has, but it seems like a bad habit, and I try to be aware of it by keeping my gangsta attitude down and the top of the slide pointing up.

 

3. I've never had an issue with grip, but I used to train my grip strength, so my grip might be a little stronger than average. That said, another good friend, Elwood James, showed me a grip technique that seems to work well. Instead of laying your thumb down parallel to the ground (pointing at the mag release for a RH shooter), point it up and squeeze the top of the grip with it. A RH shooter can tuck it up under the safety. When you do this, you'll feel the pressure on your bottom three fingers, and you'll feel the grip tighten considerably without feeling like you're squeezing harder. Now, all that said, I don't use this technique because it forces me to change my grip to get to the mag release, and I never could get comfortable with it. Don't forget, I miss a lot.

 

4. I think GJ has some great advice, but I'm not convinced one specific finger position on the trigger is always best. Pick up the gun, grip it firmly and comfortably, and see where your finger lays on the trigger. For me, the right edge of the trigger lays right in the crease on my finger. But remember, I miss a lot.

 

5. Did I forget anything? Oh yea, front sight. Gillyboy often tells me I need to "get aim-ie-er."

 

I hope you enjoy the R1. I've only made minor modifications, but they seem to make a big difference. I replaced the mag release spring just recently, and it feels much crisper and lighter. I also cut a groove in the grip for my thumb to aid in reaching the mag release. Since you're a lefty, this probably doesn't help you much, but it feels much better to me.

[lostvaquero]

Thank you everyone.  Going to try some of these and work at it. 

 

I missed a lot more than I wanted but still smiling. 

[Boggus Deal]

I don’t shoot Traditional, yet, but Lady Jane does. One of the many things she has learned is to not fall for the idea to have the magazine in your offhand out by the gun. You cannot beat the empty mag out of the gun and having your offhand braced somewhere against your body is a much more stable, and accurate, platform than it having out there waving in the breeze.

 

 

The next thing I’m going to say will go against the grain of what has been said. Quit focusing on the front sight. It is a very, very distant second to the most important thing: trigger control. Spend days lining up the sights on target and jerk the trigger and you will miss.

[Tully Mars]

It's been years since I shot Traditional, but this is what I recall helping me.

 

Try different stances that enhance your accuracy. I used three different stances. When I started it was the "camp Perry" stance, then modified Weaver, using those stances helped my accuracy. In cowboy and now in WB, I basically stand with my shoulders parallel to the firing line. So I started practicing shooting one handed in that position, which worked well for me, but I could not have started shooting Traditional in that way.

 

Dry fire and know your trigger. When you do mag change exercises, always get a sight picture as well.

 

Before you go to the range load your magazines or better yet have someone else do it, add a dummy round or two in the magazines. When you hit the dummy look at your sights, Where Are They Pointing??

 

At the range if your not hitting the target, dry fire a half dozen times paying close attention to the trigger, sights and target. Boggus is correct, trigger control is very important, but being confident in knowing where your sights hit is important when smaller targets come into play.

 

Having a magazine in your off hand is a great benefit.

 

Tully

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

First thing is my stance, I’ve always shot cas duelist [rh and a lh crossdraw], vaqueros or 1911 doesn’t matter so I always stand an if I was shooting my long guns with me almost facing the right side of the range. Not quite 90 degrees maybe 75 degrees. Standing this way allows me to pick up my rifle or sg and shoulder it without moving my feet. To shoot my pistol i shoot across my body turning at the waist. My wrist is locked and gun held with a fairly tight grip. My left hand is over my heart until I’m about done with the string when it is getting another magazine from a pouch. I drop the mty mag with my rt thumb and insert the loaded one. I might drop the slide with the release or with a slide pull. I don’t know if it makes a difference other than the coarse vs fine motor skills discussion. You should not have to pluck your magazine from the gun, it should fall out when the mag release is pressed. Cut a coil on your release spring if it’s too stiff. Make some primerless dummy rds and start practicing. On the range load your mags with a single rd except load 2 in  the one in the gun, draw, cycle, fire, drop the mty, already have grabbed a loaded mag, insert it, drop slide, fire, repeat. Smooth is fast.

[Abilene]

My hands are small and using my right hand thumb to release the mag is way too much gun shifting, so I hit the mag release with the index finger of my left hand, which is holding the next magazine.  If I pushed the release then went to the belt for a mag it would be slower. 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Try a pair of slimmer checkered grips, might make your 1911 easier to manipulate. Guess that they’re sass legal.

[Grouchy Spike]

My hands are small and using my right hand thumb to release the mag is way too much gun shifting, so I hit the mag release with the index finger of my left hand, which is holding the next magazine.  If I pushed the release then went to the belt for a mag it would be slower.

 

LOK Grips feature a groove on the left side grip panel which may allow your thumb to reach the mag release.  Two groove options - standard and deeper. Two thickness options - standard and thin.    Standard/standard works for me. No more twisting the pistol in the strong hand.

 

https://lokgrips.com/1911-gun-grips/

[Two Dot]

The deep groove for the mag. release may not be legal. There was some discussion about that when the g10 grips were approved.

[Abilene]

Thin grips or groove grips won't help me, thumb too short.  So off-hand index finger it is! 

[C.N. Double]

The deep groove for the mag. release may not be legal. There was some discussion about that when the g10 grips were approved.

 

The rule seems to indicate you can remove any amount of material from the standard grip profile, as long as nothing is added to the standard grip profile. So, if you take an otherwise standard grip profile and only remove material, isn't that legal, no matter the depth of cut?

 

Rule for reference (pg 5):

"  A groove  can  be  cut  in  the  grip  to  facilitate  the  shooter  reaching  the  magazine release, but no material may extend beyond the original profile of the grip."

[Happy Jack]

C.N. Double:    You are CORRECT

[lostvaquero]

Again, thank you everyone. I just blacked out the sights.

 

I have to tell you the difference in trigger feel between the R1 and the Taurus I used is like night and day.

 

The R1 just a gentle little pressure on the trigger is enough to drop the hammer.  The Taurus I definitely have to squeeze a bit more.

 

I can hardly wait to put live rounds through.